ChristianDance

(by Jasper Tan) Romario Lela's latest single, "We Will Sing Glory," is a song that seeks to inspire us to never lose hope, especially in the current situation that our world is in. When we look at the world around us, it feels like we are burdened by wars, division, political tension, natural disasters, injustice, poverty, greed, and all the chaos that surrounds us. It's no surprise that as we are dealing with these, we feel a little more heavier each day. It is impossible to find peace as the world feels so broken and hopeless, with conflict upon conflict enveloping us. But as Christians, this shouldn't surprise us. As Romario shares, the Bible had already spoken about these moments. The turmoil across the earth, the decline of morality, and the selfishness among people that results in turning us against one another, these are not random events. These already happened long ago, as told in the Bible.  But there is an underlying message beneath these surface level ...

Aaron Goodhew's song, "All Praise (Great Are You Lord)," is a reminder of the ultimate hope that fuels our faith. Aaron shares that the inspiration for this song came to him while studying Revelation, specifically chapter 7. He was moved to tears by the promise of believers surrounding God's throne for eternity, experiencing pure joy, and free from all suffering. Just look around you at all of the suffering around the world, as well as the suffering close to home. Realize that we're just seeing a glimpse of all the suffering that is happening.  There is hope! Aaron explains, "The hope of that future in Christ is the fuel that drives believers every day to lay down their lives in pursuit of Jesus." This song is written with the desire that it will stir people to lift their eyes from their current circumstances and look up to Him who is seated in all authority.  The song reminds us of Jesus walking "the road that we deserved," carrying "th...

Are you thirsty for something more, a change that gives more meaning to life? Mark & Sarah Tillman's "Rains of Revival" calls us back to repentance, to the simple Gospel, to be the hands and feet. This is one of the songs featured on their compilation album, "The Story So Far - The Collection," which is filled with all the songs they have released so far. The song begins with a confession we all need to make at least once in our relationship with God: "Oh God we're crying out! Our hearts are desperate for You!" In other words, this isn't polite Sunday morning singing. This is about an honest hunger for God to be present in all parts of our lives. But most of all, this song confronts our hidden idols.  After more than a decade of ministry, Mark & Sarah Tillman understand how even good things can become idols, distracting our focus from the Most High. The lyrics plead: "Rains of revival, wash every idol away!" Standing in this...

The song "One That Matters" by Marija Clare was born in a sunlit home studio in Tegucigalpa. The song sounds like a celebration, but the story behind the song adds a deeper meaning to the lyrics. Marija Clara wrote this song after a miscarriage, and that contrast shapes the song’s message! Joy isn't denial of the facts. Joy is what comes after the facts... joy is healing in the presence of Jesus. In other words, the bright horns and Latin rhythms are not just for dancing, they’re a reminder that God can turn even the most raw grief into a place of renewal. In these lyrics, Marija names the pressure that you probably also feel around you: everyone watching, expecting you to achieve, you can't permit yourself to slow down. Instead of chasing every demand, she points us to the freedom of knowing that when we have Christ, everything else in our lives becomes secondary. Each line in the song circles back to this simple confession: He is the only One that matters, He resha...

Do you feel like you’ve fallen too many times to still be worthy of God’s love? If that is the case, then Ben Jero’s song “How Many Times” carries an important message for you! The song opens with three big questions: “How many times can I fall and you catch me again? // How many sins are too great to not love me again? // How many ways can I go away from your presence?” ** Spoiler alert !! ** God’s love for us is never dependent on what we do! Seriously! It doesn’t matter how far we wander from His presence or how many mistakes we make, God remains faithful. His door is always open! All we need to do is call out to Him and come back home! Ben recalls the story of the prodigal son in his song, as a reminder that “There’s no sin that’s too great // No work that’s undone // Like the prodigal son // You never left me alone.” God doesn’t place any barrier between us and His love because of what we do or have done! God isn’t holding the door shut! Instead of turning away from us when we fa...

What does it mean to praise God with everything that you are? Divine Vibes answers this question with his track "Praise the Lord, O My Soul!" He calls this track "a cinematic progressive house track that transforms Psalm 103:1–2 into a pulsing electronic mantra." Wow, that is setting a high bar, and Divine Vibes is living up to that expectation! The song opens with an intriguing declaration: "Bless the Lord, O my soul // And all that is within me // With my whole heart // I will praise // His holy name." Notice how the lyrics emphasize totality? Psalm 103:1–2 isn't talking about partial worship, and neither is this track. The track invites you to put your whole heart into praise. The repeated phrase in this track, "Praise the Lord, O my soul," is a rhythmic choice and a conscious decision to remember: "May I never forget the good things He does for me." Gratitude becomes the foundation of our heart and life. Divine Vibes brillia...

Stephen M. Miller’s “It’s the Leaving I Don’t Know (Psalm 90)” is a song that invites us to reflect on the brevity and frailty of human life and focus on what is really important. The song doesn’t focus on passing away… Stephen shared: “I lost my father to a 27-year battle with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. I lost all 3 of my younger brothers: death 1 day after birth, death by heart attack, and death by COVID. Today, I just returned home from visiting my mother halfway across the country, 800 miles away. She is blind from strokes, suffering from dementia, and transitioning into death. She will soon die, any day, or possibly in several weeks. Consumed by all this grief, I struggle to understand how to cope and how to help my family prepare for when I have to leave.” Stephen faced his own health crisis. He collapsed one day, unable to speak, and woke up to his wife calling an ambulance. It was nothing more serious than that, but it was in this moment that he thought this could be the end of hi...

Have you ever felt lost in dark times? Are you looking to heal your heart, but you just don’t know where to start? For The Kingdom wrote “Heal The Brokenhearted” for this type of situation. It’s a song inspired by Luke 4:18 “to set the oppressed free.” God offers rest for the weary (oppressed). In other words, you are not abandoned! The lyrics remind us that He came to heal the brokenhearted. Instead of you carrying burdens on your own, you can turn your eyes to heaven and experience the healing that He brings. But most of all, recognize that you will always find peace in God. When storms rage within you, look to the source of Truth. Be still and remember, He’s still healing you. May this song enhance your worship. The production blends piano and warm drums to create a reflective sound. So lift your heart to Jesus. Let Him quiet your heart and mind. Why struggle in silence and alone, when Hope is available? Trust in Him. You’ll soon begin to feel His arms surround you. Press play toda...

“Sacred Songs of Praise” by Galen Crew was co-written with British songwriting legend Roger Cook. The key message of the song is that the simple act of singing to God is in itself a significant step forward when you’re facing dark moments in your life. Praising God is always the right thing to do, regardless of the circumstances that you’re facing. Set against the warm sounds of a mandolin and a violin solo, the lyrics begin vulnerably: “I was low // Shadows lingered over me // Even so // I could hear a melody.” Our praise isn’t just for the perfect days. “Sacred songs of praise help me turn my gaze upon you,” praise that helps to shift the focus from our struggles to our Savior. Worship changes any circumstance into hope. So, instead of passively waiting for circumstances to change, you’re invited to worship, or as Galen puts it, “sing out loud, join angelic company.” Can you feel that shift in your heart and mind? Your voice, however quiet, joins a timeless chorus of truth and lov...

(by Jasper Tan) In the tradition of our favorite CCM rock anthems from the 90's and early 2000's (the Jars of Clay and Vertical Horizon come to mind), Robert Peterson and The Crusade's recently released single, called "Sometime," is a joyful experience to listen to. This is a rock song that speaks about waiting and being prepared for the right moment to be called by Jesus. It comes from a place where the miracle and the sudden arrival of God in our lives are always unpredictable. But when we are ready, God will find us. The lyricism of the song is written in such a way that there are double meanings and vague messages. I understand the artistic decision to write this in such a manner. I always believe that evangelism isn't always straightforward, and there is definitely not a one-size-fits-all approach. Sometimes people who have yet to encounter Jesus in their lives may feel resistance and apathy towards the truth of Jesus' love for us, but are open to mes...

(by Jasper Tan) “The Perfect Man” is a very beautiful love song by Kaylyn Sahs. I’ve never heard such a beautiful love song written for Jesus that is very relatable, and that truly defines how it is to be loved. Jesus is the only perfect Man who can fulfill our hearts and complete us. His Love is the only kind of Love that we all should desire to have. A lot of the people out there who are still searching to find love and find the perfect partner that they could spend their life with should listen to this song. The song helps to define the type of person they should be looking for and not settle for anything less, because we truly deserve someone who could love them that is as pure as Jesus.  Kaylyn shares that this song is her personal testimony of finding a love that never fails or walks away. And like most people out there who are still in the process of finding love, Kaylyn has also been there, patiently waiting for the perfect partner to come into her life and complete her, on...

After more than 20 years since their debut album, Thoughts And Notions gives one of their hidden gems, "Strength I Need (20th Anniversary Edition)", a refresh and the spotlight it deserves. When the song was originally released, it was sidelined for radio-friendly singles, but modern digital streaming has removed those old limitations and allows every song to shine. The song grew from a deeply personal prayer: the band's frontman visualized being present at Christ's crucifixion to get a better understanding of the greater plan behind His suffering, and at the same time, he was struggling with his own faith. The first verse asks, "Are you tired of what life has offered?" and in the chorus we hear the plea: "You're the strength I need." What started as a quiet dialogue with Christ became a song for anyone who is carrying a heavy and unyielding cross. Wilbert beautifully wrapped up the heart of this song with the following lyrics: "It's...

What if a song could help to reignite your passion for faith? In her Christian RnB worship track, "Fan the Flame," Gabi Poli does just that. This song was created to start a movement, encouraging listening to music that fans the flames of our spiritual lives. Gabi loves to use the Christian RnB genre to invite us to experience God's presence in a fresh way. The lyrics beautifully articulate a desire for God's life-changing power in our lives. "You're pulling me closer // Every day // Resistance inside me // Burn it away," opening lyrics that express the desire for God's purifying flame to remove whatever is blocking our relationship with God. It also encourages letting His love light up "the places that used to be dark." Have you felt that gentle pull toward deeper intimacy with God lately?  Our freedom comes from His sacrifice, which has "saved me now I finally free." A song that is also calling you and me to action. Will you ...

(by Jasper Tan) Have you heard of any heartfelt song lately that elaborates on the pain, yet the yearning for healing feels so heart-wrenching? Andrew Macdonald's latest song, "Gentle," feels just like that. In what seems like a conversational piece with someone, the song actually is a prayer yearning for God's grace and healing. The lush sound of the acoustic guitar, coupled with the heartfelt delivery of the vocals, delivers a certain kind of sincerity wherein Andrew pours his heart out to Jesus. It is very seldom to hear songs wherein the singer cuts through our emotions just enough for us to feel an affinity to his pleas. And Andrew's outreach for help through prayer is something that really cuts through our own pains when we are in those moments of vulnerability while we deal with our own issues. Though the song starts off as a sad song and the lines that are delivered feel so gloomy and hopeless, the song makes a stark change for the better when it starts to...

Sometimes the seed for the most powerful worship is planted during life's weakest moments. The idea for "As My Body Breaks" by Iossa originated in a hospital room, where Filipino singer Jyel Tagbo was fighting Stage 5 kidney disease. Dean Mark Hilario Enoza saw how Jyel continued to worship with unwavering faith in the midst of extreme pain and suffering. The lyrics for this song are deeply inspired by Jyel's journey, and it shouldn't be a surprise that the song is dedicated to him.  So, what do you sing when pain becomes your daily companion? The second verse confesses, "The poison creeps, the pain runs deep," but despair isn't an option! The chorus encourages you to look beyond despair: "Is this the end, the last refrain? // But I believe, I'll sing again." That feeling of despair isn't the end of the story. With God by your side, whatever feels like a breaking point will become a breakthrough moment: "As my body breaks, my...

(by Jasper Tan) Tyler Ratcliffe's new song "Where the Walls Once Stood" is a delightful CCM track that reminisces about the standard sound of country rock music. The strength of the song lies in Tyler's heartfelt lyrics, which turn despair into finding hope in what God has promised. As Tyler shared, he wrote the song when he was in the midst of dealing with the tension between what seemed impossible and what God had promised him. He took inspiration for writing this song from the story of Jericho, which had always struck a chord in him.  As we may recall, the walls of Jericho tell the story of how the Israelites conquered the heavily fortified city of Jericho. Under the leadership of Joshua, the Israelites obeyed divine instructions to march around the fortified walls of Jericho for seven days, which culminated in the collapse of the walls after days of noise barrage by blowing their trumpets and shouting at the top of their voice. It seemed like a futile effort to pe...

"The Farrier" by Kelly Daniels is about how God changes lives through unexpected encounters. Daniels is a gifted storyteller who uses lived experiences to point us to God. This song is about meeting a special kind of farrier (a farrier is a smith who shoes horses). Where a farrier applies horseshoes to horses to bring stability, Jesus does something comparable for our hearts.  Daniels sings: "I was a mustang runnin' on my own // I didn't have shoes for this rocky road, // Questioned my faith, without a stable heart." Sounds pretty familiar, doesn't it? The song isn't about the running, it's about what happens when we finally stop running! The Farrier is a beautiful metaphor for Jesus, who brings stability to our wandering hearts. How? Daniels reminds us that He ropes us in, and "The lord took 3 nails to forgive my sins, // He sank 3 more, brought down my barrier, // He was the Ferrrier." The same nails that held Christ to the cross no...

(by Jasper Tan) "Harvesting the Weeds" is the first single from Dawson Shorman's debut album, which will be released this May. The song is an introspective indie Christian track that talks about burnout, self-deception, and faith in the current times. Dawson makes use of agricultural imagery as a metaphor for this song. In this very demanding world, especially in this age of social media, we are too concerned about gaining attention and affirmation from the people around us to the point that sometimes we are left with an empty soul as we lose ourselves to the world just to feel belongingness to certain norms of the world. In this song, Dawson re-centers his attention to God and surrenders himself in prayer as he longs to belong to Christ once more. Set to an energetic sound of pop with a flare of rock, this CCM song offers a fresh take on trying to make Christian Contemporary Music belong to mainstream music as Dawson seeks to deliver the message that he is bringing to a ...

We've all experienced times in our lives when everything feels impossible, and it feels like God is nowhere near. Tasha Layton sings about that very struggle in her song, "Meet Me in the Valley." Tasha calls out those painful moments and places them in the context of promises that you can read in Psalm 23. God promises that goodness and mercy will follow us, even through life's darkest seasons.  Tasha shared the main takeaway of this song on her Instagram account: "You are not forgotten. You are not alone. God meets you right where you are."   We often aren't able to recognize His grace until we're desperately needing it, and honestly, we often don't appreciate what we have (and what He has given us) until everything falls apart. But instead of dwelling in despair, Tasha reminds us to look upwards, and ask for His help: "In the middle of the war // Tell me that I'll make it // When I'm not sure // You'll be faithful." We...

(by Jasper Tan) Julia Igwe’s latest single, “Who Am I,” is a song that seeks to understand God’s amazing love for us, that even if we don’t deserve it, He still gives it freely. That by offering His life for us, we are saved from our sins. It is because of this that we are sometimes left to ask ourselves if indeed we are deserving of God’s gift of salvation. We are left in awe upon realizing that even if we don’t earn it all, God still chooses to simply love us with all His heart (and even at the cost of His life). God’s grace is a free gift from Him, and as our way of reciprocating His love, we give our lives fully to Him, embracing our identity in Him and resting in the truth that we belong to Him and our God loves us so. As Julia shares, “This song is a great reminder to me that the greatest thing I can do in life is be fully His and be fully surrendered to Jesus. Everything else comes second!” Julia also further shares that one of the biggest questions that she had after being save...